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Sunday, 26 July 2015

Sunday of Sailing Cancelled as the Cambridges Visit Portsmouth

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge supported the America's Cup World Series in Portsmouth today.

The Duchess attended in her capacity as patron of the 1851 Trust, supported by Sir Ben Ainslie, the most successful Olympic sailor in history. The Trust aims to inspire and engage a new generation through sailing and the marine industry, providing young people with the education, skills and training to become future innovators and stewards of the marine environment.

Keen sailor Kate crewed a Round the World Challenge Boat during her gap year and worked as a deckhand. When Kate took on the role of patron last October she said, "I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed sailing from a young age and I know it is a great way of providing young people with the opportunity to develop skills and confidence".

We saw Kate's love of sailing in action during a competitive race against William in Auckland during the couple's tour of New Zealand and Australia last year. Prince William also appears to enjoy sailing, perhaps one of the reasons he decided to accompany his wife today.

The Palace said the Duchess would take "the opportunity to learn more about how the charity is using this exciting time for the sport in the UK to inspire a new generation".

Kensington Palace Twitter Feed

Their Royal Highnesses enjoyed a tour of international team areas at Portsmouth Naval Base before meeting team skippers and their crews.

William and Kate chatting with a group from New Zealand Team HQ.

The couple asked plenty of questions and heard first-hand experiences from crews.

After the tour, William and Kate were expected to enjoy two races and give prizes afterwards. Rumours were persistent throughout the morning the races may not go ahead and unfortunately due to extreme weather conditions the difficult decision to cancel the races was taken. Below the full statement from the America's Cup World Series:

'OFFICIAL STATEMENT

After discussions with the America's Cup organising committee due to extreme weather we have had to take the difficult decision to cancel today's racing and Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series event programme, and the site has been closed for the day, Sunday July 26.

We had hoped to go ahead with early racing, but with winds gusting in excess of 30mph we could not risk the safety of the crews and public, and their welfare is paramount. Due to high winds the Waterfront Festival Arena and Fanzone Arena is now closed, and we ask public to leave the event site.'

A look at the dismal conditions.

Yachts and Yachting Twitter Feed

William and Kate had hoped to see Land Rover BAR (Ben Ainslie Racing), led by Sir Ben today - the first British team to contest an official America's Cup event on home waters since the competition began in 1851.

Land Rover BAR

Others teams participating came from USA, France, Japan, New Zealand and Sweden.

Land Rover BAR

As to the significance of this weekend's racing? More from The Guardian:

'This weekend Ainslie’s crew will race against five others during the first leg of a series in which points are earned for a final qualification event, before the two-team America’s Cup final itself. There are further events scheduled in Gothenburg and Bermuda this year, before a number of others in 2016.'

'The teams are all incredibly even and the tight racing at these speeds has already led to some big wipe outs as teams are pushing their boats to the limit. In the end it will come down to the sailing side; the boat handling, who makes the right calls on the day.

And believe me, it will be competitive. Although these World Series races are of limited import as far as the 35th America's Cup itself is concerned, they do count towards qualification. And there will be professional pride at stake as well.'

It's obviously incredibly disappointing news for all involved.

Oliver Ing Twitter Feed

However, there is still much to celebrate for Land Rover BAR, who are the overall winners of the event.

William and Kate continued with the rest of the itinerary for the visit. They toured the new Ben Ainslie Racing team base to view their state-of-the-art facilities and learned more about the work being done there.

Speaking of Prince George, Kate revealed the tot who recently turned two thinks he is older. More from The Mirror:

'After appearing to blow air at the Duchess as she shook hands with families of staff, the son of the team’s Head Coach Rob Wilson stepped forward to say “Hello Princess, my name is Freddie Wilson. Mum Wendy Maxwell said: “She asked him how old he was and he said ‘I’m three’.

“When I said he is only two, she said, ‘George says that. He thinks that he’s older”.Kate also stopped to chat to two-year-old George Mills and his 13-week-old brother Harry, who had fallen asleep. Mum Rebecca said: “She asked George if he likes Peppa Pig and said she hoped Charlotte would be doing a lot of sleeping too.”

The women's Land Rover BAR Aura Half Zip fleece is described this way:

'Micro stretch fleece for lightweight insulation. The ergonomic shape and high stretch properties of this garment guarantee incredible comfort and ease of movement. The extended half zip can be opened for extra venting. BAR logo to left chest Henri Lloyd logo to right shoulder Official America’s Cup Challenger logo to left sleeve 11th Hour logo to right sleeve Union Jack woven label to lower right hem.'

William and Kate's pullovers were personalised.

Kensington Palace Twitter Feed

The piece is not available internationally due to distribution rights, however the folks at Henri Lloyd have asked those who cannot purchase directly from their website to contact them via email.

Henri Lloyd Twitter Feed

Otherwise, Kate chose what has become known as her sporting uniform. The staple of this look is a Breton stripe top - the Duchess owns several and we regularly see her wearing them for official events, and most recently for the polo. Several people noted the top is most likely one of Kate's Me + Em tops.

Me + Em

Kate's navy skinny jeans are by Zara.

Kate's incredibly popular Sebago Bala boat shoes were a stylish choice complementing the rest of the casual look.

Sebago

Our favourite photographer James Whatling snapped a close up shot of Kate's pair.

413 comments:

Too bad it was cancelled, what a bummer. But nice that they seem to be able to continue the visits :)

They wear that kind of sporting clothes so nicely. And I must say, William looks great in his new jeans! (Yay, no daddy-pants!!!) and that shirt makes him look really nice ;) Love that they match!! They look in high spirits and hopefully them going aaround there will be a bit of a silver lining for the people there! :)

I agree she looks so healthy and suits the sporty look so much! Looking so fresh in her skin too - and so slim what great genes - lucky lady & love the faces she makes for the children! Gorgeous!!!!!Theresa Australia

Great to see them but I agree. It would have been nice to see a little variation in her clothing. A white button down shirt under that fleece with brightly colored jeans and new flats maybe? The ponytail was the only highlight of today's outfit.

Erika, that would have been SUCH a cute outfit.Love Kate always, but she does need some new casual clothes big time. Those shoes looked a little worn. You had military men there with spit-polished shiny shoes. Kate needed better shoes.(and a new outfit)So glad she wore her hair up and her ponytail was high up enough to not look frumpy this time and I loved that she had the hair band covered nicely. Not sure what that was above the pony tail though.And, (hoping I am not being TOO critical), I love that she wore drop earrings as they photograph nicely and are feminine, but I thought the pearls with diamonds were too dressy for the occasion and locale. I would like to see her get a plain sterling or gold pair, or perhaps 8mm pearl, sterling or gold studs. Those would be appropriate and show up. Of course a brilliant set of 4 carat diamond studs would be even better. (That's 2 carats on each ear.) She has some topaz (or something) other studs but they lack dazzle and brilliance and don't photograph nicely either. Hint, Hint. William....... 2 carats on each ear, flawless D diamonds with a lot of internal sparkle, ASAP. :)

She is kind of double in her frugality/non-frugality. She has stuff that she wears ALOT! Plus she wears alot of the "expensive" parts many times, ia the jewellry and shoes. But then she has like... 5 white coats :P So she's a bit of both. But we are different in what we spend money on. Some have 40 pair of shoes but just 2 pair of jeans and others do the other way :) Might just be that she enjoys shopping clothing more than accessories.

Not that it matters since the look is identical, but I don't think this is the Me+Em top. If you look at the stripes around the neck of the Me+Em Breton top, it doesn't match the stripes on the top she wore today. Again, it's splitting hairs since the look is identical, but maybe she buys lots of clothes that look exactly the same! :-)

I think the little twist above the pony tail is the ends of Kate's new bangs, pinned into a spiral for control. I prefer the lower pony tail she sometimes wears, but perhaps that is just a mark of my age!

It is selective frugality for sure Bluhare. Not that I am criticizing that at all. I am old school in that I would LOVE to see Kate in new bespoken outfits all the time just like Diana. That was an amazing fashion show and so much fun. But perhaps not for this day and age. :(

I'm a bit puzzled by Kate's style now too because before she was married - Kate had a huge host of outfits and a fair number of interesting assessories to go with them. That carried through her first year too.

Then suddenly we had this odd balance of repeats, cheap dresses that look cheap, and endless white coats - in different price ranges. I think Kate is striving for an image that we don't quite get because she doesn't quite get it, or believe in it, herself.

It's an image that "I don't care about clothes" as her mother recently reiterated which is nonsense because all you have to do is look at Kate before her wedding to know she cares about clothes - and there is nonthing wrong (says Julia with a wardrobe full of them) about caring about clothes.

I wish Kate would just be herself and buy what she likes - that's what Diana did (although she repeated outfits and sometimes even had them remade) and while there was occasional quibbling and there will always be quibbling - most people loved her style.

Likewise, most royal ladies in Europe do this and there are some very stylish ladies that still are much admired. Rania for instance. Rania comes from a fairly poor nation and is clearly very conscious of not looking like she's spending the earth - and she has many fashion constraints she must observe and few local designers to call on - and she still looks amazing even when she dresses casually.

I don't want to pursue the work bit again but I think this factors in - "if I don't wear expensive clothes people won't notice what I'm not doing". It reminds me of putting on a business suit when on a flit to London so people would think I was there to work - not off on a lark. It was paranoid ridiculousness of course, no one was likely to spot me and my boss knew where I wasn't.

The same is true of Kate - no matter what blog you follow or whether you read the Telegraph or DM - if you care, and more and more people don't, you know what Kate is up to - whether she wears blue jeans or the latest Packham gown - and those who don't like her - not those of us who quibble and carp and bicker - but those who really don't like the royal family in an intense way and use Kate as an excuse for what's wrong with it - aren't going to change their opnion because she wears the same jeans.

Ok, I just have to say it: Does she not own another shirt? Before I saw the photos I thought I bet she wears the blue and white stripped shirt, skinny jeans, and -I was wrong on this point- her blue wedges. I LOVE her style, but geez a little variety isn't a bad thing!

She did wear her blue wedges--and the blue Zara blazer for presenting medals. Charlotte provides the link above--but no still pictures. I thought Kate herself looked beautiful, and I loved her hair--but I am sick of those blue skinny jeans--and the wedges.

Charlotte, congratulations to you! Thanks and wow for still being able to post. Looking at the photos I felt the exitement of being at the ocean! I think Kate and William will be able to successfully link this patronage to some of their other charities and I can see some children benefitting from it in future. I am jealous (in a good way) of Kate's ability to maintain her figure and I am always happy to see that Kate and William is maintaining a loving relationship! Lovely photos today.

What a shame the event had to be cancelled. A big disappointment to all involved. Perhaps it will be rescheduled. William and Kate looked cute in their matching outfits. I love her hair in a ponytail during these casual events. They seemed very happy, and in spite of the bad weather, to be enjoying themselves. Lovely post, as usual Charlotte.

It was lovely to see the duke n duchess out today looking healthy and happy. I would have preferred Kate however to have supported perhaps one of her more worthy patronages instead of seeing her here today, particularly as she is still on her maternity leave and time limited. Sailing is still an elitist sport here in the UK. That being said, the visit still heightens the profile of the sport. Alice.

Wow... I have a little hard time that people on the internet are commenting on what kind of charities are worthy.. And just because it's an expensive and elitist sport, there is a need for the charity so not as priviliged kids can take part in the freedom and camratery I suspect that sailing entails. Plus thaat they will learn about sailing technology, giving them good knowledge to stand on if they in the future want to study technology. And I wouldn't be surprised if some of the other patronages in the foundation will be paired up with this one.

I agree Rebecca, and it is also so disrespectful to the founders of the 1851 Trust, who are attempting to inspire, educate, engage and innovate. If you look at the patronages of the Royal foundation, there is a definite theme that William, Kate and Harry are focusing on.

I too am a little troubled in general about elitist sports trying to give themselves a charitable face that probably will help relatively few children in the end - although I hope you are right, Rebecca and it has more effect than I suspect it will. I've had friends involved as school volunteers, trying to stimulate interest in technology through auto and aerospace and computer clubs and activities that have a much more practical chance of leading to future careers for the widest number of children.

At the end of the day sailing remains a very expensive sport/hobby. It's the same with eventing, and certain other sports - a few are able to rise to become stars if they and their families are prepared for enormous committment but it's well outside of most people's reach.

While polo is often played to support charities - it's not generally to make young people into polo players. This remark isn't about William and Kate as such - more about my overall feelings on the matter.

As for William and Kate, I don't love royal members wearing advertising clothing and the names on the back have produced a lot of ridicule on D.M. - but I suppose it is all in a good cause. That it's Sir Ben's company using his name makes me wonder if he profits at all from it - I hope not. I would have preferred William and Kate in their own clothes. Not my favourite appearance of theirs - but they can't all be.

But I'm sorry the day was rained out - glad William and Kate brought some cheer to some affected - and hope the race goes successfully - and may the best boat win!

I understand your point Julia. But I think it's better that they at least try doing charitable things around the elitist stuff than not. I mean, it must make at least a little difference, better than if they didn't do it. And the sport cause is still a worthy one I think, even though I'm not a sports-person myself :)

I understand about the advertising clothing, but I thought they were rather cute :P

William and Kate are not the only Royals to wear advertising clothing. I have seen Princess Royal wear it as well as the Countess of Wessex and Harry. They are probably asked to wear it and I guess they can agree or decline, but the latter would probably be an insult. I personally don't see a problem with this and I also think her outfit was fine given that they were supposed to be on a boat to watch the sailing and there is a photo of her climbing into what appears to be the simulator with her leg up.

You know, their involvement can raise interest and perhaps various other charities and revenues so the sport won't remain out of reach to many anymore. Tennis used to be an elitist sport as did skiing. They have been mainstreamed now and I think the same can happen to the sport of sailing.

I agree Rebecca. Also, if the 1851 Charity is trying to make it make assessable to all,then why is it not a "worthy" charity. The same could be said for any Olympic Sport such as Gymnastics, Hockey, Fencing, and all the rest. If they are trying to make it less "elitist" and open to all then it is just as worthy.

As far as the clothing goes, I though it was a "team" jersey and not a specific "company" and I really would not put any credence into the DM articles.

Hmm, bluhare. I mean a little of both. It's obviously a way to make it look better. But I'm of the opinion that "who cares if they do it for selfish reasons, at least they are doing it". I mean, it wouldn't be better if they didn't do it at all just to not look hypocritical.

I am a bit bemused by all the talk about sailing as an elitist sport. I live adjacent to one of the Great Lakes in the US, and here all sorts and ages of people sail. Some are out in tiny boats on fair days, some are sailing behemoth cruisers, some are racing either locally or long distance, some are just pleasure sailing near home. Factory workers own sailboats, as do bank presidents. Children get lessons from volunteers who are members of the local yacht club, a far from exclusive organization. I find it hard to believe that the same is not true along the coasts of the British Isles and Europe. I definitely saw a long line of tiny, colorful sailboats leave the harbor in Monaco a few years ago, and I was told children were sailing them. Is it an inland thing to consider sailing so elitist that only the very rich can do it?

The issue I have with sailing as a charity is that I don't get how it can ever become accessible to many people. At the end of the day, it's not like most sports where you can go to the gym or a tennis court and quickly play some of. It requires way more time and money. You have to have access to a large body of water and a sailboat just for starters. And it requires way more time, time that people who need money dontnecessarily have to give.The 1851 trust is also weird for me just bc it was only started last October. I find it interesting that Kate didn't pick an already existing sailing charity with a proven history of helping.

From what I can see, they met children who'd gone sailing for the first time.

I went to the 1851 Trust's website. All I could find is a nebulous statement about training for the future, a lovely visitors center focusing on the sailing team, and sailing lessons for kids this summer.

I have no problem with W&K supporting the America's Cup bid of the British team. None whatsoever. That's what they're there for. But let's split this visit off from this charity which is "in partnership" with an already established sailing foundation and from what I can see doesn't do much to promote children's future in the marine area. Maybe they're just getting started and I'm being unfair. But it doesn't look like their site has been updated since April, and they certainly don't have today's visit up yet. Look how fast Charlotte had this up. You'd think a visit by the DandD of Cambridge would be very important to them and it doesn't take much to upload some photos and a few paragraphs of narrative -- a lot of which could have been done ahead of time. I guess I'm underwhelmed and I do think there are just as worthy -- if not more so -- causes that they could have promoted IF this visit was to help a charitable endeavor.

I don't think it was. I think it was to promote the team. No problem at all, but let's not call it something it isn't.

Julia, the sport is run by the billionaires who back the boats - that's why it is so "branded" -- the US team - Oracle Team USA is not really a national team, the way the women's US soccer team is. The sport is conducted by yacht clubs - not exactly an "open door" we welcome all people approach going on. Larry Ellison is our US billionaire challenging other country's billionaires. I share your opinion it is an ego and elitist pursuit. It began that way, and remains that way.

This is one area where size and geography of a country comes into play, with the UK being a smaller land mass surrounded by water. The sport makes more sense as a national identity in the UK, more so then it does here in the US.

I think the 1851 Trust is more of a way for wealthy folks to pour money into a tax deductible vehicle to support a sport culture they prefer and enjoy - more then it actually satisfies a need of society. That's not to take away from the fact that the organization provides jobs - people are running the visitor center and training programs -- but it doesn't create self sufficiency in future employment, more then it creates more consumers of sailing - selling a lifestyle to the people. If you look at the boats - the COMPANIES are more prominent than the country being represented. I can't be the only one that notices the incongruity of a company called LAND ROVER being prominently featured in a water sport. (I do believe sports sponsorships are Peter Phillips, William's cousin, area of expertise...)

The one difference this sport has over most other sports is that it requires a vessel (fuel and maintenance) and not just equipment (tennis racket, ball, skis) to enjoy. The closest equivalent I could think of is if the US had a charity training program for NASCAR - or any country having a training program for motor sports.

I share your skepticism in whether this program will transform lives - or whether it is more of a way to create consumer market for sailing - which is not actually a "non profit" enterprise, but a "for profit" one. All those new sailors are going to need boats, docks, fuel, supplies, clothes, shoes and training. This is very different from investing in agriculture education (to feed a population) and medicinal education (to treat the population),

It is what it is! As an American - I wish your billionaires all the best of luck against our billionaires!

In Fact Rebecca, You raised a Great Point about How Important It Is To Make Sailing A Sport That Many More Can Enjoy! In Fact There is an Old longstanding Sailing Saying, " If you love Sailing, find a Buddy who has a Boat!" It's Actually True Too! Crewing for a Boat is a Necessity for The Owner/Skipper & So Many Sailors Sail Without Owning Their Own Boats! You can learn while you are young, often on donated boats for Private Sailing Schools or Charitable Organizations like this & then Sail for a Lifetime, maybe not Ever having to own your own Boat!:)

I think a lot of people are going to be disputing this "statesman and walking majestically" bit (although it will give Hubby and the dogs a good laugh) but happy to walk hand in hand with the new kinder and gentler Bluhare. Not sure that Miss Austen would agree - reading her letters -she was very tart indeed.

But at the risk of not being kinder and gentler - and not speaking in detail because it's not the subject of this blog - I will say I think it is possible to have too many charities - there is such dreadful competition between the ones that are there now - many of which are very worthy and well-established - and people are being deluged with requests for donations, often in exceess, as a result - such as my late dad who had a heart as big as a house and that poor woman who killed herself because in part, she felt overwhelmed by all the solicitations.

So I just don't feel that every organisation, rich person or sporting event needs a new charity. An example was Children in Crisis founded by the former Duchess of York. I'm certain it has done excellent work but why not do that work within the scope of one of the many exisiting charities for children out there.

Likewise, William and Kate's Foundation leads to them going to meetings and fund-raising parties but not visits to the assortment of mostly unknown charities the foundation claims to support - leaving those charities just that - unknown by the general public and presumably mostly supported by rich people who then get a chance for a handshake from William and Kate.

I'm no sportswoman but certainly support making sports more available and less elitist so I hope this newly minted charity does succeed in that. I hope it wasn't just put forward because there was a chance for a popular sporting name drawing big sponsors and a duchess with a known passion for sailing was willing to make it one of her very few patronages. We'll see how it develops.

I apologise for being a bit cynical and scattered in my thinking but this is an issue that has been on my mind as late - after being forced to write to dozens and dozens of charities after my dad died - to tell them to "bugger off" because we had a few chosen ones and couldn't give to them all, and their endless mailings were distressing my mother. It's a problem beyond this blog but it is a problem.

In the meantime, Baby Cambridge was one of my favourites - our own little charitable endeavour giving support to an established hospice charity. .

I see your point Julia and they are really good food for thought. But that is actually one of the reasons I like their foundation. It combines efforts between charities, because most charities work with single issues. But we all know that life doesn't work that way, so when Place2b and Action on addiction combined their efforts it can get a wider and deeper impact. So I have big hopes for the future of their foundation if they work alot towards combining charities.

Bluhare - like you, I went to the site before saying anything. It is very glossy but I was left underwhelmed. Still, here's hoping there's more to it. Kate has so few patronages - but no, I'm going to be gentler too and not go there....

I do tend to think of sailing as an expensive hobby/sport but then I tend to also see skiing as still rather expensive - so maybe I'm out of touch. In the United States - my only experience is California where everything is expensive - breathing is expensive - and Florida where a lot of people did have boats - although not so many sailboats because it was on an inland waterway and they went fishing. Maybe sailing is more widespread in the States.

But we normally think of the royal family promoting causes in health, education and the like, and somehow Kate promoting sailing is a bit like promoting skiing - the equipment will always keep it out of many people's reach. Promoting the maritime industy may be useful although again there, I've heard jobs are scarce. I do support promoting sports in general- Charlene's promotion of water safety seems very worthwhile - but there are just so many other sports with broader possibilities.

Looks like they had as much fun as was possible given that the races had to be cancelled.

Regarding what Kate was wearing, those earrings really jarred with her clothing and the setting. Actually, they looked ridiculous. In the past Kate has worn simple studs while involved with a sailing event, and that would have been much more appropriate for this occasion too.

She could have changed earrings also I think.Rebecca Deacon was there to carry her clothes, she could have taken different earrings. Those pearl and diamond ones looked really out of place with her casual outfit.

If she brought a change of shoes and jacket, this Some Person wouldn't have had any issue with another pair of earrings. 'Course, I didn't have a problem with the ones she wore, although I take the OP's point on it.

You know what Kate needs? A simple pair of small gold hoops. Always appropriate for things like this.

Rebecca, small gold hoops are a staple here in the U.S. throughout all age groups. All sizes of gold hoops are. Bluhare, those would have been perfect but, hey,4ctw. premium diamond studs even better, yeh? She would get ALOT of wear out of those in any and every venue. I need to write to William right away. :)

My first thought was diamond studs, Anonymous, but said hoops as they're sort of sailor like. Rebecca, yes, people still wear hoops, although I grant you not as much as they did -- unless you count the ones that dust your shoulders. Wasn't suggesting that big, that's why I said small. Didn't mean tiny!

I live in the US and I can't remember the last time I saw someone my age (25) wearing gold hoop earrings. Maybe it's a regional or style difference.I feel like these pearl earrings are plain enough that they can go with a really wide variety of outfits. Maybe this one was a bit too casual for them and a pearl stud or gold stud would have been better.

There are also different colors of gold. However, I've never been an earring as fashion kind of gal. I have one piercing in each ear, and I either wear studs or very small danglys. I've got smallish white gold hoops for professional, yet not too stuffy, wear. That's it. Hate huge earrings; always have. So really, my earring commentary probably isn't worth the bandwidth it takes to post it.

Love you Rebecca, and I appreciate Kate's frugality also, but this outfit has long since served it's full purpose and then some. It needs to be catalogued and put in the royal archive wardrobe. It is becoming embarrassing. Maybe we should take up a collection and send her a gift certificate.:)

I can agree that it would be fun if she chaged. But isn't it more important that she likes it and is comfortable? :) Also, I think the priorities might be a little wrong if wearing your clothes once to much is considered "embarassing". It's for exactly that reason I like that she does it, because it's so expected of her position as a young woman that she would be embarressed by it.

I don't agree with you on this one dear Rebecca.Those clothes are looking a little worse for wear.We don't want her sports attire turning into an bad iconic joke like, uh, like Anne's hairstyle.And, yes, for a Duchess, Baroness, Countess, Princess, representive of the British Commonwealth she needs to dress those parts. The people in uniform there today were in their best, their dress uniforms. If you want to honor someone you present your very best. IMHO

I don't know. If I am interviewing someone and they show up in less than their best it does affect my opinion whether I like it or not. If one of my employees represents us at a charity event that we have set up, I want my employees, and our volunteers, looking their best for the charity and our company. I want the charity to be proud of our collaboration. It is about professionalism.And as someone mentioned, the military was in full dress.Doesn't mean Kate had to wear a ball gown but new jeans, new deck shoes would have gone along way to enhance her efforts. Fashion critique only, no character slur.

There are some royal ladies out there - Rania, Letizia, Mary, Mathilde and Sophie among others - who are popular and much respected for their work and still manage to look fashionable - rewearing clothes but not making one outfit a "uniform."

I think Kate started off brilliantly but is now struggling a bit for balance in her progression as a princess - as if she doesn't quite understand her role and what people like and expect in a princess.

Wearing nice clothes is a sign you care - I refer again (at the risk of being redundant) to the Queen Mum (or queen as she was then) putting on her best when she went to visit victims of the Blitz. "They would do the same for me" she pointed out to critics. Perhaps, that's what Kate should post on her mirror.

As Martha said previously, since this is a high profile International event, I think it would have been totally wrong if William had not been there.Plus, this is Britain's strongly plausible bid to bring home the trophy. It has been absent since the days of Queen Victoria. For him not to be there and cheer the team on would have been a real faux pas.

There are a lot of high profile international events that William doesn't attend. Many of which that are related to his actual patronages. I don't think anyone would have cared if William didn't show up for a sailing event.

Sailing is predominantly a male sport, NOT to sound sexist or anything. AND, it was a significantly high profile enough event that a double whammy appearance of senior royalty was in order. My family has been in high profile PR/Advertising for decades and the unspoken but expected guidelines are there. I think this is one where people might have felt slighted had the Princess not shown up with her Prince.I know one time we lost a huge account simply because our clients came to dinner at our home and got offended that we didn't have an American made car. Their product had nothing to do with cars.Fine lines in PR.

Yep called it! Outfit 1: Ben Ainslie racing gear and skinny jeans. Outfit 2: Zara blazer, striped top(was wrong about the color) and Stuart Weitzman wedges!! :) I think it's ok to have a certain type of outfit that you like to wear to certain events but oh my gosh how many times will Kate wear the same blazer, those skinny jeans(which at this point look so faded and worn) and those wedges. It's just so predictable, I can see why people say Kate is not a style icon. Not that I wanna get into that debate but seriously, she need to switch her look up.

At first I thought, buy some new jeans, Kate! But they had planned, according to BBC, to watch the racing from a boat. So perhaps the worn and faded jeans make more sense, even though William wore nice new ones. As for the shoes, are they real boat shoes, or are they the flats made to look like boat shoes? I have never worn my boat shoes on land, because with their narrow grooves they pick up fine bits of gravel which turn into deck scratchers. The earrings only make sense if Kate was planning, as reported somewhere else, to don a blazer for the awards. I haven't seen a photo showing that she did. I do like the team shirts, nice touch. I'm glad Kate got to meet children benefiting from the sailing program. I really can't think of a better outing for her first public charity appearance since Charlotte's birth. And she and William have appeared to enjoy their day thoroughly.

Those do look like topsider type deck shoes but they looked old and worn out. She could have worn new jeans and t-shirt in the boat. She can very easily afford those items. She could have worn a pair of earrings that would have been suitable for both activity schedules. I was so disappointed and frustrated by her wearing those outfits again.SO glad they showed up and had an enjoyable day and got to interact with the children and others though. That IS what really matters. Although fashion is fun.

I've got the Sebago Bala boat shoes and they are a boat shoe - not quite as thick a sole as other brands, like Sperry, but they are a boat shoe and are able to be worn on land as well as on deck. They are extremely comfortable and, in my opinion, less orthopedic-looking than the Sperrys.

I just have to comment that you Brits have some of the CUTEST kids over there! That little crying girl with the curly hair is so cute! Then there was a little boy with blonde curly hair like George's that was really cute too.

This is completely off topic of Kate BUT, I had been wondering if the Queen still rides horses at her age. Well today as luck would have it for me, there was an article about it. I am sharing the link because I thought it was unbelievable to see an 89 year old riding a horse. I have been riding all my life, and I have never seen it. To me, the Queen and Carole Middleton seem to have the same tenacity and certain degree of "toughness" for their age(I am referring to Carole having George on her shoulders so easily at the park a few posts ago). Enjoy:

Rebecca- It is EXACTLY what I thought too. And I am not insinuating anything either. A little-non-threatening- "healthy"- jealousy is good for a marriage. I am sure girls swoon over Prince William wherever he goes too, so it's good for him to see someone else thinks his wife is cute!

Haha, I read somewhere else that a person thought that innocent thing was the reason that William was coming with today :P Made me laugh. Both Kate and William are rather "flirty" in their interactions so I think it's really innocent. I mean, you don't become blind because you're married :P Nice to see though that Charles jeaously doesn't seem to have been inherited :)

Helmets are a good idea, but I can tell you from personal experience that they don't do much good if you get thrown on your bum which is where I landed the one time my horse spooked and threw me off. I was lucky and went off the side.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought William had a "suspicious minds" look on his face. I think Ben's personality relaxes Kate; she might be really tense in public and he's just one of those people that others unwind around. Poor Will, I think, takes too much after his mother on her very few negative attributes. S

Rebecca, if you meant that comment I wrote awhile back, speculating that the Daily Mail might interpret William's attendance as 'protection' in the presence of Ben Ainslie, it wasn't my own opinion! LOL I do think, however, that he looked a bit 'tolerant' shall we say, while Kate was turned toward Ben.

Rebecca and Tammy, I'm so glad I am not the only one who noticed that as well. That photo made me chuckle. William has a look like "I'm right here guys". And you are right, there is nothing wrong with innocent flirting. Is Ainsley married as well?

I haven't ridden since my beloved Auggie died, Tammy. That fall was when we were all on a trail ride, and the horse in front of him spooked over a piece of paper. He wasn't the most high strung of horses either, but rear he did, and scared poor Auggie half to death so he reared too and shot off like a bat out of hell. I was chatting and taken unawares and lost my stirrup. Next thing I know I'm on the ground. Tottered around like an old lady for a few days after that one.

I think Kate might just have a teeny crush on Sir Ben and why not. He is very handsome and dashing and it would be completely harmless.

William's presence is hardly surprising - given, as noted above - it is a very major British event and although I don't think his presence was mandatory - he is known to enjoy sports. He also goes with Kate to Wimbledon, although I don't know that he is as big a tennis fan as she is, and I think it's always nice when they do appear as a couple. Could list a couple more events where I wish they had.

But William may also have been glad not to give the tabloids any more fodder by tagging along.

Agreed, but this outfit is too casual. Representing the Royal family in official capacity. More effort needs to be made here. The whole outfit down to the shoes is tired looking. You can look appropriately dressed without looking like you are going to the gym. Poor effort here.

Yes, I agee - that hideous brown scaly dress is top of the list for me. And while I'm sure the queen never said a word about wedges - I would add them to the out pile. What fun it would be to have a wardrobe purge of Kate's clothes. (A friend did that a while back for me and was stymied as every outfit she wanted to get rid of had some sentimental attachment to me. I wonder what's Kate's attachment to that brown lizard skin dress is.)

Se iously Kate has a great figure and could wear anything...ever since she had George its like she isn't trying anymore... I used to love her outfits...like every outfit from the 2011 Canada tour was on point same with the 2012 tourShe needs to fire whover is giving her style points Sarah usa

I think she looks healthy, happy, in love and event appropriate in her wardrobe. It looks like they had a wonderful time, spent a great deal of time with the people who came to see them, and made the best of an unfortunate situation given the cancellation of the main event. To me, that's all that matters.

Why is it weird? She has worn enough, simply people had enough of it, clearly she thinks otherwise. Good for her. But those wedges, I can't take why she wears towering heels for any kind of sport event??

I don't mean it's wierd that people are tired of it. I can understand that. What is wierd is how much emotion it's bringing :P I mean, it's just clothes! But people are calling her embarissing, "not doing her job", a bad joke etc, just for the simple reason of reusing some clothes.

We see Kate wearing other things on casual private outings, so clearly she has other comfortable things to wear. And heck, this is a woman who was seen shopping in heels while pregnant multiple times. I think she's capable of finding one other thing to wear on public occasions lol if she can do it for private ones.

Rebecca - I agree that people don't necessarily react with disgust if a normal woman wears the same outfit a bunch. But I don't think that's a good comparison. More apt would be like if a woman worked as a consultant, and every time she had a meeting with this one specific client, she wore the exact same outfit. Thatd basically what Kate is doing, and I think it's safe to say even all the men in those meetings would notice and comment on it after a while about it being a little odd.

I too find it strange how emotional people get over perfectly appropriate clothing choices of total strangers. I mean, I find some of Kate’s clothes boring and repetitive, but they’re just clothes and shoes at the end of the day.

MAGGIE, thank you.THAT is what I have been trying to explain about the repetition of those outfits.After awhile people do start scratching their heads and going, "huh?"She is supporting publicly these charities/events.It is a lot about PR. Like it or not, appearance is a huge part of PR.

Maggie, she did wear heels all through her pregnancy and while shopping, etc.Not that she should wear heels sailing of course but she can do better and does with many other things sartorial. She can change these outfits out so easily. I like the Zara Jacket though. It still looks fresh. Even at that though she can invest in some other classic Jackets also to change it out on those.

Loved this look of Kate's! I was a bit surprised to see the casual look, but I realize it was preplanned. Amazing how can she be in such great shape so soon,,,love the skinny jeans,,I do agree with the others.. variety in the causal wardrobe would help, Thanks for this exciting post, Charlotte!xoxo

Siddhii: I completely agree with you! It's been 6 years since I had my little boy and I will never look as good as she does no matter how much I work out! I find myself being the slightest bit jealous!

Hey, I love her little "uniform." I think it's kind of fun that she always wears this to sporting events. My friends and I always joke that if you want to dress like Kate for halloween, throw on a pair of jeans and a striped top ;) Also, I think sometimes we can get a little too nitpicky (of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I like how respectful everyone is on this site). I think jeans were the right choice for this event and you can barely see her top under the jacket! No need to pull out something new if we won't be able to see it. LOVED the ponytail, she always makes them very interesting. Also, I have to disagree about the earrings being out of place. A nice pair of dangling pearls go with everything. Nice to see them again!

It will be interesting to see how many times henceforth that she wears these outfits. Does anyone know how many times she has worn them so far?I am so hoping this doesn't become like Anne's hairstyle. (sorry, Anne)Not to be mean. Just I thought Kate's wardrobe would rise to the occasion with some UPLIFTING variety. Who wears the same thing all the time, who?

Nothing scheduled so far. August is a time when most royals are on holiday so I doubt we will see Kate until autumn at the earliest. Although I would be delighted to be wrong and have her suprise me by going to the Braemar games - since she is so keen on sport. It would be nice to see her support something uniquely Scottish and to appear at a sporting event with the queen.

Thanks Bluhare,I am still learning about the Internet, blogs and all that. Plus, I do everything from my IPhone at this time so I didn't notice any sidebars. I didn't know that is what they are called.

Some variety would be nice, but I'm not that bothered by her outfit. It would be funny if people started showing up to her sporting events in something similar since we all know what she'll be wearing. ;)

Becca looked happy, healthy and cheerful. That also says a lot about Kate. You know......plays well with others (employees get along with her). Any news on Becca's boyfriend? Are they still together? Engaged?

I am with others today in regards to this outfit. I wish she would at least wear a different top. I don't mind the shoes though since they are meant for boats.

I love when Kate wears flats. We get to see her true height, especially when she stands next to William. She seems more petite and doesn't tower over others. I don't know why, but I like it when she is next to William in flats. :) And with no clutch today she was more animated with her hands.

Even though I am bored with the outfit, Kate and Will looked very happy and relaxed today. They both looked well rested too.

World Traveler, I quite agree. I like it when she's in flats and with William. Everybody bellows about how tall she is and she IS fairly tall but she's not quite the Amazon that some portray. And when she's in flats and standing next to William, who's 6'3", it becomes obvious that Kate is not all that tall. I liked the outfit today, pretty standard for the event. No way a dress and heels would have even been close to appropriate - or sensible - for what they did today. I don't expect we'll see her in any new ensembles for a number of years. She's not undertaking royal duties anymore, therefore, not a huge need (or any need) for her to have a thousands-of-pounds bespoke new wardrobe. As for William going along to "guard" her against Ben Ainslie, ladies, please. Will knows Kate's never going to look anywhere else. She held on for seven years to get William - and he knows it.

she could have worn different casual clothing to change it up a little. No need for bespoke.She is a Princess (representative for the Royal family/British commonwealth) and a representative of the event. She needed to look her best, even casually.I don't think William went to protect her from Ben's conversations with her. That is silly.

Interesting point of view Lis at 3:42. Kate "held on" to "get" William. In my opinion, William is the lucky one. He got an educated woman to take on the circus that is the BRF, beautiful children to carry on the line, and a partner to share all of the pomp and ceremony with him. I like to think Kate is like Prince Phillip. She has made her decision to stand by her mate and I believe she will do so capably and loyally and lovingly. So, I don't agree with your view of her in this regard.

It was good to see Kate and William looking happy and relaxed and bringing a little bit of cheer to what was a most disappointing day for everyone involved in the originally planned event. It will also have been disappointing for William and Kate who I am sure will have been looking forward to watching the sailing as well as meeting all the participants. Kate certainly did her best to cheer everyone up with plenty of smiles throughout the day and doing her best to cheer up some rather unhappy young children. I thought her attire was entirely appropriate for the occasion and I really liked her hair. Yes we have seen her in this same casual clothing rather a lot but when casual many people like to keep to what they feel comfortable in.I doubt if we will see anything of Kate now for some while hopefully sometime in September maybe but it would be nice if we saw her and with William more often as I much prefer joint engagements for them both rather than solo one's

I'm a nobody and I rarely wear the same exact clothes to similar events. I cannot understand why Kate chooses to wear the *exact* same outfits over and over again. How could she not have any other variety of clothes in her closet? How hard would it have been to wear, say, a red striped top for a little variety? And those shoes! Both pairs of shoes she wore today need to be retired, post haste. Kate's sartorial choices have officially become just like Princess Anne's hair -- boring.

At this point, I just wish kate would wear non-skinny jeans. That's all I ask. I don't get her obsession with these skinny jeans. You can tell she tries to make her legs look longer with her clothing choices, but in the case of these jeans, they just make them look even shorter! Like if she has to do skinnies, why not longer ones? I just don't get it. And it's not like wearing the same outfit ten times makes her really look any more or less frugal. I'd say the two multi-million dollar renovations on huge homes and the yearly Mustique trips have made that ship sail. And I'm not criticizing any of those things! I just don't think this somewhat-excessive repeating of clothes will outweigh the rest of her lifestyle in terms of her perception as frugal or not.

At some point, it seems a little disrespectful to the charity. People have been pointing out that this isn't just an event for her to watch sailing - it's also for her to work with the charity. Well, she wore her sports/casual outfit.

EXACTLY MAGGIE,She does need longer skinny jeans. And the frugality part of it is our perception not theirs perhaps as it does seem like a moot point on their part given the new Bentley, "private" family helicopter, two estate homes, designer heels, bespoke clothing, designer gowns, household and childcare help, nice fine jewelry, vacations etc.I am happy they have all that. I just can't believe they really would ask us to believe the frugality of wearing THE SAME skinny jeans, T-shirt and deck shoes OVER AND OVER again. There are many COMFORTABLE options available. They are not costly.I agree that respect for the people involved by putting your best effort forward is very important.

I'm not bothered at all my what Kate is wearing. In fact, I appreciate the fact that she doesn't feel the need to "wow" people every time she makes an appearance. It's totally appropriate for the occasion and I love that she keeps going back to a few of her favorites! We all do that. Also love her hair in a pony tail!

I can’t help but feel that people are so disappointed with her clothes because they have unrealistically high expectations. I, for one, always assume that Kate will wear her ‘uniform’ for sporting events, so I can only ever be pleasantly surprised if she doesn't.

Kate's very smart and her image and out offs are, I think, carefully chosen for the right effect. She has many many designer evenings gowns she's only worn once but shr can't be criticized for those purchases because she wears some casual pieces over and over again

She looks great of course! But it would be nice to see her in a different outfit. I suppose she wears the same thing to make the pictures worth less and to avoid accusations of spending money on clothes, but she wears that outfit ALL THE time. The whole family is a wash of various shades of navy blue.

I love this blog. I will continue reading it of course. To be honest though, I think I'm going to take a break from reading the comments. I liked reading different views and chiming in here or there. But I've just been feeling frustrated or anxious or... something. We beat dead horses, we get more emotional than we used to, and we seem to have cliques and inside jokes. I say "we" because I don't mean to be preachy at all... I've been guilty myself. Just sharing some thoughts. Has anyone else been feeling this way?

If anyone wants that top, (the half zip), it's only £9,999.99 on the website. No wonder the guy says to email him if anyone would want one! That must be how they're funding the America's Cup campaign, I guess.

World Traveler,I was glad to see her in deck shoes also, albeit that I wish she had worn new, different ones. I like seeing her real height in comparison to Williams. I didn't realize that he is that much taller than Kate. I think she was more animated because she truly relates to sailing.

i love the duke and duchess they look as perfect in their sportswear its a bummer weather I want too see them on water but I think bad weather cause the cancellation event I lease they try I think enjoying the day although its weather condition is awful

Ya know, she got out there and did charity work today. I didn't. The photos show an engaging, caring Kate and William. I felt sad that I had said anything critical of them at all. They try and they care and they are making a difference. my bad.

I've watched some clips from todays event and it was really nice to see the dynamic between William and Kate. Usually she's in the more supportive role and he's taking the lead, since that is how their official role is. But you could really tell that he was "letting her" take the lead on this one and it was nice to see him in the supportive and proud role :) I remember noticing that when they were at the hospices on their tours, how William took a backseat role. Very nice to see :)

I think that this is the only sartorial selection Kate COULD have made for this engagement, given the intense negative reaction seen to the announcement that her first official outing in support of one of her charities was to "yet another sporting event." Consider what the response would have been had she shown up in a new outfit? I think that Kate and her PR team are well aware of some of the unhappy responses to the choice of this engagement, and the decision to recycle/repeat clothing rather than invest in new clothing prevents further negative reaction, while showing support for BAR and the 1851 Trust. Kate also looked polished and prepared for the activities of the event -- perfectly appropriate, if a bit tried and true. Whatever your thoughts on the outfit, or on the choice of the engagement as a whole, I think it's important to consider that the choice of the clothing was carefully and skillfully made.

I have to say, I am am not a wedge fan so I would be happy to see those go but I think it's great that Kate wears what she's comfortable in. We all have outfits we feel good in and enjoy wearing. I know folks are saying she needs to change it up but she does actually wear her hair differently with the outfit so at least that's variety. For outdoor events such as this I'm not sure I can blame her for clearly wanting to be comfortable. Just happy we got to see her and the Duke during maternity leave!

With you World Traveler! Exactly what I was thinking - that she's actually quite small next to William when she's not in towering heels! I know it's been done to death but I really like the skinny jeans, stripy top look - it's one of my own favourite everyday outfits haha.

I would really like to know if Kate actually sails these days? It's listed as one of her hobbies but along with rowing, I'm wondering if that's a historic fact (back in her gap year/uni days etc) or whether she still takes part in those activities?

I actually don't mind her outfits. Aside from the wedges, I think everything looked quite nice. The pearls I think were fine cause pearls=oyster=sea/marine. I love her blazer collection!! And I am so happy she wore her hair up! Lots of smiles today! And she was engaged and focused throughout the day.

I have seen a number of posts by people about feeling poorly of themselves as they compare their post baby bodies to Kate's. She looks great, I take her as inspiration to exercise and eat well, too.

But please, remember she has full staff to take over household duties including cooking, a nanny, possibly a night nanny, her mother and an array of other help so she can sleep well, eat well and exercise daily. She also has a trainer. Her physique is a priority, and she has the help so she could make it so. Please - don't be hard on yourselves. There is no one "perfect body", and she has a lot of assistance in her daily life.

Sorry, I work in eating disorders/mental health so body image comments will tug at my heart strings. I can't help but promote self-love and appreciation xo

NO ONE said Kate has to be uncomfortable.She can wear colored skinny Jeans, khaki skinny Jeans, black skinny Jeans, any any of a vast choice of nautical themed skinny t's. She can change out her weathered deck shoes with fresher ones or even ones in different colors. Her "uniform" can have some variation. Her hair was appropriate for a windy, sporting event.Love Kate, just want to see her have some fun with design choices.As was said previously, WHO wears the same outfit all the time, who?

I personally didn't mean comfortable as in comfy, rather comfortable as in "my faviourite patter". We are more comfortable in certain things, have things we always think we look good in. I have a safe pair of earings I put with everything when I didn't know what to wear. That doesn't mean that I don't have money for new ones (and have alot of earrings laying around), just that it was my "go to" option :)

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